Prolonged grief among Turkish migrants in Germany: prevalence and the role of migratory grief

ABSTRACTBackground: Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is associated with negative health outcomes and appears to be more prevalent among migrants. For migrants, bereavement also includes losses tied to their country of origin, leading to migratory grief. However, the association between migratory grief and prolonged grief has remained unexplored.Objective: This study investigates PGD prevalence, and its grief- and migration-related correlates among first- and second-generation Turkish migrants in Germany.Method: Adults (≥18) with Turkish migration background (self or parental) were included (N = 937). Regression analyses and comparative tests (t-tests, χ² test, Fisher's exact) were performed.Results: PGD prevalence was 5.97% in the first and 5.45% in the second generation. In the first generation, prolonged grief symptoms were associated with >5 losses (β = .201, p = .006), migratory grief (β = .300, p = .003) and different times since loss (p < .005). In the second generation, correlates included migratory grief (β = .197, p = .003) and being in the same country as the deceased (β = .225, p = .003). First and second generation differed in gender (p = .003), time since death (p = .003), country in the event of death (p = .003), residence status (p = .003), social support (p = .008) and chosen language of questionnaires (p = .003).Conclusion: Turkish migrants in Germany show elevated PGD prevalence, with distinct correlates across generations. Migratory grief was a significant correlate for prolonged grief symptoms in both generations, while other factors differed between generations. These findings emphasize the importance of accounting for migration-related experiences in the investigation of PGD across generations in future research.